Dallas, Nowitzki hold off late push from Thunder

PLAYOFFS

Associated Press

Published 4:00 am, Saturday, May 21, 2011

Even when he is off his game, Dirk Nowitzki can get the job done as the Mavericks' closer.

Nowitzki shrugged off a rough start and made a few key jumpers in the fourth quarter, helping the visiting Mavericks hold off the Thunder for a 93-87 victory Saturday night and a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference finals.

The big German had missed 10 of his first 14 shots, but Dallas kept going to him with the Thunder trying to become the second team to rally from a 23-point deficit to beat the Mavericks in these playoffs.

"He's our guy. In the fourth quarters, he's going to touch the ball as frequently as we can get it to him," coach Rick Carlisle said. "If he misses a few shots, he's not going to get deterred, he's not going to get discouraged. He's got the kind of will, he's going to keep going at it."

The Mavericks didn't care that Nowitzki couldn't seem to make a shot most of the game. They still gave him the ball on 10 of 11 possessions at one point, and he scored three times - enough to keep Oklahoma City at bay.

Nowitzki finished with 18 points on 7-for-21 shooting.

Photo: Eric Gay, AP

Image 1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki of Germany, right, smiles as Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant (35) walks away during the second half of Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference finals basketball series Saturday, May 21, 2011, in Oklahoma City. less

Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki of Germany, right, smiles as Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant (35) walks away during the second half of Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference finals basketball series ... more

Photo: Eric Gay, AP

Dallas, Nowitzki hold off late push from Thunder

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

"We didn't really have a lot going in the second half offensively, so I've got to keep attacking for this team like I have for the last 13 years," Nowitzki said. "This team needs me to score and to keep being aggressive."

NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant also struggled from the field, hitting just 7 of 22 shots to finish with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Russell Westbrook responded to a fourth-quarter benching with 30 points, helping the Thunder make it interesting in the final minutes.

Dallas had already blown a 23-point lead in the final 13 minutes in the first round at Portland, and led by 22 with 17 minutes to go this time.

Westbrook and Daequan Cook each missed three-pointers that could've gotten the Thunder within three, and Westbrook then lost the ball out of bounds before Jason Terry's jumper stretched the advantage to 86-78 with 1:42 left.

Nowitzki added a jumper from the left elbow to put the lead back at eight after Durant hit two free throws, and Dallas held on from there.

"We fought through a lot in the second half there, we stuck together and we grinded it out," Nowitzki said.

The Thunder missed their first 16 three-pointers - including all eight by Durant - before Westbrook made one in the final minute to get Oklahoma City within 88-83. Dallas made five of its six free throws to close it out.

Heat, Bulls bloodied: Dwyane Wade's right arm had a nasty gash that left him unwilling to shoot the ball for Miami down the stretch. Omer Asik needed stitches around his chin, not to mention a Chicago jersey that wasn't covered in his own blood.

That was Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.

With a 2-1 series lead at stake, the Bulls and Heat renew acquaintances today in Miami, ending a roughly 94-hour hiatus in the already-physical matchup. When Game 2 ended Wednesday, just about everyone in the Heat locker room had an icepack strapped to something, and more than a few limped their way to the bus.

Just think: They were the winning side.

"Fortunately, we were able to have some days to recuperate," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Our guys, they're not shying away from it. Neither team is. Both teams have built these habits for the entire season. We've proven we're an aggressive, attacking, physical defense that rebounds the basketball. ... They've proven to be the same. So you have two things colliding into each other."